Drawer guide

ABSTRACT

A DRAWER GUIDE CONSTITUTING THE STATIONARY ELEMENT OF A TWO ELEMENT SLIDE-FACILITATING ARRANGEMENT FOR A DRESSER DRAWER, THE GUIDE BEING ANCHORED TO THE DRESSER FRAME AND INCLUDING UNIQUE ANCHORING MEANS INCLUDING AN EDGEEQUIPPED INTEGRAL UPSET PORTION.

K. H. GUTNER Nov. 14, 1972 DRAWER GUIDE Filed March 4, 1971 United States Patent once 3,702,717 Patented Nov. 14, 1972 3,702,717 DRAWER GUIDE Kenneth H. Gutner, 3285- Date, Highland Park, Ill. 60035 Filed Mar. 4, 1971, Ser. No. 121,025 Int. Cl. F16c 29/00 US. Cl. 308-3.6 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention is related to my prior patents, Nos. 3,328,107 and 3,365,261. In the earlier patents I was concerned with providing drawer slides or glides, i.e., the element fixed to the drawer which cooperated with a second member secured to the dresser itself. 'In the past, the drawer guides, viz, the elements secured to the dresser itself, have either been quite complicated, or if not, provided in the form of relatively ponderous wooden pieces. One of the problems is to make sure that the guide was properly and permanently positioned because this determines the slideability of the drawer. By the combination of securing elements provided along with the general construction of the present invention, I am able to provide an uncomplicated, yet rugged and reliable, drawer guide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention is described in conjunction with an illlustfiative embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in w 1c FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a dresser showing the mounting of the inventive guide;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the front end of the guide;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of the guide of FIG. 1 in its unsecured condition;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the guide of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the guide of FIG. 2 and showing the rear tab bent to its operational position in dotted lines, and also showing a slide in phantom.

The numeral designates generally a portion of a dresser, and the numeral 11 generally the guide of the instant invention. The guide is seen to be installed between a rear parting rail 12' and a front parting rail 13. These rails, or equivalent structure, are provided in dressers for separation of the various drawers, one above the other, and for the mounting of the back panel-in the case of the rear parting rail 12.

In general, the guide 11 provides a modified channel shape for receipt of a wrap-around type of slide element 14 (see only in FIG. 5 and in phantom) which is secured to the under side of a drawer (not shown). Still referring to FIG. 5, the numeral 15 designates generally the basic channel shape of the guide 11 which includes a bottom wall 16 (also indicated in the right-hand portion of FIG. 2) and upstanding or side walls 17.

Now referring to FIG. .2, it is seen that the side walls 17, at their upper extremities, are equipped with integral, longitudinally extending return bend flanges generally designated 18. Each of the return bend flanges 18 is defined, i.e., includes a vertically extending connective wall 19 and upper and lower horizontally extending walls 20 and 21 respectively. Thus, each return bend flange is a spaced distance above the bottom wall 16 and constitutes way means for the slide 14.

, Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, particularly the latter, it is seen that each connective wall 19 terminates at the front end of the guide on a'diagonal or biased line 22. The lower wall 21 of each return bend flange 18 is also inclined or beveled as at 23. This is best seen in FIG. 3, and can also be appreciated in perspective form from a consideration of FIG. 2.

Shown in each of FIGS. 2P6 is an upset portion 24 provided adjacent the front end of the guide 11 and in the bottom wall 16. The upset portion is generally triangular in shape, having folds or creases 25 (see particularly FIG. 2) and a forwardly facing free edge 26. The edge 26 is adapted to engage the rearwardly facing rear surface of the front parting rail 13. This, in connection with the tab 27 provided at the front extremity of the guide 11 serves to anchor the guide 11 to the front parting rail 13. The tab 27 is a continuation of the bottom wall 16 and is equipped with an opening 28 which is adapted to receive portions of a pair of staples or securing means which pierce the front parting rail 13.

The securement to the rear parting rail 12 is achieved by a bendable tab generally designated 29 which is a continuation of the bottom wall 16. The tab 29 is seen in its operational form in FIG. 4, and there is designated by the numeral 29'. The enlarged rear extremity 30* of the tab 29 is equipped with staple openings as at 31, permitting staples to be inserted therethrough and into the rearwardly facing rear surface of the rear parting rail 12.

I also provide rigidifying ribs along the length of the elongated guide 16 as at 32. These ribs are essentially fillets provided between the bottom wall 16 and the side walls 17. Still further, I provide a second plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart ribs adjacent the rear extremity of the guide as at 33. The ribs 33 extend from the opposed top walls 20 around the girth of the guide, providing an advantageous stilfening and stabilization at the rear of the guide 11.

In the operation of the invention, the guide 11 is presented to the installing factory in the condition seen in FIG. 3. The guide is then positioned essentially as seen in FIG. 1, with the free edge 26 of the triangular upset portion 24 abutting the rear face of the front parting rail 13. The rigidity provided the upset portion 24, by virtue of its having a free edge defined by converging creases or folds as at 25, insures that once the guide is positioned within the drawer frame, subsequent stapling or other securing operations do not disturb it, and, equally importantly, the various movements of a drawer do not dislodge the guide. Thereafter, staples are inserted into the front tab opening 28, and the rear tab 29 is folded downwardly to the FIG. 4 condition as at 29'. The throat 29a of the tab 29 makes it possible to accommodate the guide to dressers having somewhat different spacings between the front and rear parting rails 13 and 12, respectively.

With the guide in place, a drawer can be inserted into the dresser by engaging the return bend portions 18 of the guide 11 with the mating portions 14:: of the slide 14. I find the provision of the angular cut-away portions, as at 22 and 23, facilitates the entry, or reentry, of a drawer slide 14. Additionally, a pronounced gusset 34 is provided at the juncture of the forward end of each side wall 17 with that portion of the bottom wall 16 which constitutes the attached end of the tab 27. I find that this effectively precludes any tendency of the guide to flex in the area adjacent its securement to the front rail, thereby avoiding the possibility of becoming loose.

I claim:

1. A drawer guide adapted to be mounted on a dresser to guide the movement of a drawer positioned over front and rear parting rails in said dresser, comprising an elongated unitary member having a general channel shape in cross section, said channel shape including a bottom wall and side walls extending upwardly therefrom, said bottom wall having an integral upset portion with a forwardly facing free edge adapted to engage the rear of said front rail, said side walls at a point spaced above said bottom wall having longitudinally extending return bend flanges to provide opposed way means for the engagement of mating portions on a drawer slide, said return bend flanges each including a further channel shape arranged to face each other, each said further channel shape including upper and lower spaced apart horizontal walls and a connective wall extending generally vertically, said lower lower horizontal walls and said connective walls terminating along angular lines adjacent said front means to facilitate engagement of a drawer slide with said guide.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said upset portion includes a generally triangular shaped depression in said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,365,261 1/1968 Gutner 312-330 2,212,191 8/1940 Dietz 3l2343 2,664,334 12/1953 Bissman 312341 NR 3,328,107 6/1967 Gutner 308-3.6 1,832,729 11/ 1931 Ohnstrand 3 l2343 MARTIN P. SCHWARDRON, Primary Examiner R. H. LAZARUS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 312-347 

